ATLANTA — Michael Penix isn’t the main reason the Falcons beat the Giants on Sunday. They didn’t need him to make many winning plays. Their defense scored two touchdowns and New York’s awful offense had no chance of making up a big margin. But Penix made the right plays and, more importantly, none that hurt the Falcons.

Penix was solid ...Read more

MIAMI — Steve Ross had this cheesy grin on his face after Sunday’s 29-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers, and it was more Velveeta than normal.

It was the type of look one might have when they are content, satisfied, maybe even hopeful.

The Miami Dolphins owner has a right to feel however he would like.

Like the people he hired to run ...Read more

If you were blessed to miss the first 15 games of the 49ers’ 2024 season, San Francisco gave you a Cliff Notes version of it Sunday in Miami.

The 29-17 loss to the Dolphins perfectly encapsulated the campaign: statistically strong but fundamentally rotten.

On Sunday, the Niners averaged more yards per play than the Dophins. San Francisco’s...Read more

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The florescent green cleats of Kyren Williams could be seen from space.

But it was the feet inside those shoes that set the tone Sunday in the Los Angeles Rams’ 19-9 victory over the New York Jets.

In this final stretch before the NFL playoffs, when the weather turns as bitter cold as it was at MetLife Stadium, it�...Read more

SEATTLE — The Seahawks' last regular-season home game of 2024 may have turned into a swan song for the season.

A shocking late collapse allowed the Minnesota Vikings to escape with a 27-24 win at Lumen Field, a result that leaves the Seahawks' playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

The Seahawks fell to 8-7 and a game behind the Los Angeles Rams,...Read more

LANDOVER, Md. — For all the reverberations from the substance of some of his recent words, A.J. Brown rarely raises his voice above a whisper when he’s speaking.

Sunday was the same, even if everything for the Philadelphia Eagles wasn’t. They had tried with all their might to cost themselves a victory here against the Washington ...Read more

LAS VEGAS — Rookie tight end Brock Bowers went over 100 receptions and 1,000 yards for the season, and the Las Vegas Raiders broke a 10-game losing streak with a 19-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

The win dropped the Raiders (3-12) out of the top two positions for the 2025 NFL draft with two weeks left...Read more

NEW YORK — It has obviously been a tough season for the Jets.

They are 4-11 and will miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season with two games remaining.

Following Sunday’s 19-9 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a message for some of his teammates already looking forward to the offseason.

“It’s ...Read more

SEATTLE — The Minnesota Vikings won in Seattle for the first time since 2006. They remain in control of their destiny for the No. 1 seed in the NFC, and they’ve got two 13-win seasons in three years, as they head home for a showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

Take a deep breath, Vikings fans.

The Vikings rallied for a 27-24 win over the ...Read more

MIAMI — The Miami Dolphins’ playoff hopes are still alive … for now.

They made sure of that by surviving Sunday’s contest against the San Francisco 49ers when they hung on for a 29-17 victory at Hard Rock Stadium.

Jason Sanders went a perfect 5 for 5 on field goals and the Dolphins (7-8) found the end zone twice, sealing the outcome ...Read more

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The New England Patriots came out far more competitive than anyone expected but still wound up disappointing in a 24-21 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

The Patriots squandered a 14-point lead in the Week 16 loss to the Bills at Highmark Stadium. Jerod Mayo is now 3-12 to begin his first season as Patriots head coach.

The ...Read more

LANDOVER, Md. — This is what the Philadelphia Eagles look like without Jalen Hurts:

Nineteen points in 54 minutes, against a pretty bad defense. Twelve points, really. No discipline. No leadership. A collapse. A loss. The end of a 10-game winning streak.

That comprised the entire production Sunday for the 11 drives begun by backup Kenny ...Read more

LANDOVER, Md. — Jalen Hurts left the game with a concussion. His replacement, Kenny Pickett, threw a touchdown and an interception. Saquon Barkley topped 100 yards and scored two rushing touchdowns.

Eagles players had to be separated from their Washington Commanders counterparts multiple times by the game’s officials.

All of that happened ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Steelers coach Mike Tomlin is optimistic that several of his injured players, including top receiver George Pickens, will return for Wednesday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Tomlin said Pickens, safety DeShon Elliott, cornerback Donte Jackson, defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi and backup quarterback Justin Fields all have ...Read more

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — It could not have been a sweeter way to come back.

Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee played Sunday for the first time since suffering a major knee injury in last season’s NFC wild-card playoff game.

He endured 11 months of rehabilitation from knee and shoulder surgeries.

So Higbee enjoyed himself after he ...Read more

CHICAGO — How's that for a response?

After having their 11-game win streak snapped against the Buffalo Bills, the Detroit Lions showed no mercy against a desolate Chicago Bears squad at Soldier Field on Sunday, racing out to a 20-point lead before pulling away in the second half of a 34-17 Lions victory.

Detroit scored on its first six ...Read more

ATLANTA — Rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was steady in his first NFL start and received a major boost from the defense as the Falcons routed the lowly New York Giants 34-7 on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Falcons improved to 8-7, while the Giants dropped to 2-13.

Penix, who was victimized by some dropped passes, directed two ...Read more

HARTFORD, Conn. — Millions have journeyed to Boston through the decades just to see Fenway Park. Regardless of one’s favorite team, a sporting life would not be truly complete without seeing baseball played in a ballpark opened in 1912 for that purpose and so tightly woven in its history.

But from the beginning, a grid was laid out when it ...Read more

I’m gonna take a wild guess and say I didn’t see the Steelers’ 34-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens like a lot of other people did.

I didn’t see it as some kind of unforgivable disaster. It wasn’t. The Steelers still control their divisional fate, and the playoffs are what really matter, anyway.

I was actually encouraged in some ways. ...Read more

SEATTLE — Two answers, both sincere, but just one got it right.

The first came from Seahawks receiver DK Metcalf when speaking about the hometown support.

“I looked around and there were a lot of Green Bay fans. They did a great job traveling, but just wishing us 12s didn’t sell as many tickets as they did to make sure we kept the home-...Read more